New Open Path Gas Detection System with Highly Intelligent Multi-Channel Controller Oil and Gas Refining, Chemical Processing, Electric Utilities, Wastewater Treatment Process and plant engineers with large outdoor facilities where combustible gas leaks are a potential hazard will find that the new IR5000 Open Path Hydrocarbon Gas Detection System from General Monitors combines a unique single-beam, single-source, single-detector sensing design with intelligent multi-channel control to provide a sophisticated, highly reliable total monitoring solution that protects people and equipment. Outdoor combustible gas leaks at large plants pose a danger in the oil / gas, chemical processing, electric utility and wastewater treatment industries. Leak sources typically include pipelines, valves, tanks, burners, compressors, separators, flare systems, aeration ponds and other equipment. The distributed nature of equipment within these large facilities often makes traditional point-monitoring gas detectors either ineffective or cost prohibitive by themselves. The IR5000’s advanced sensing technology and detector design configuration provides superior accuracy, reduces drift, and improves immunity to false alarms. It incorporates a fail-to-safe design and progressive technology for advanced performance features and fault diagnostics. The result is precision accuracy with exceptional reliability. Field calibration is unnecessary with the IR5000. Its AutoZERO feature allows the operator to zero the instrument with no traditional zero & span adjustments. To prevent nuisance faults, a 30 second time delay is incorporated to prevent fault activation caused by temporary interruption of the detection beam such as people or vehicles. The IR5000 continuously checks the optical path for dirt, weak IR signal, blockage or malfunction. Another timesaving advantage provided by the IR5000 is its AutoTRACK alignment, which simplifies initial set-up and installation. To align the source and receiver, the operator simply monitors the digital display for alignment cues, which will direct the receiver to proper alignment with the source. The digital display prompts the operator when the unit is properly aligned. No additional tools are required for set-up and the housing remains closed. The IR5000 System consists of an Infrared (IR) source unit and a receiver unit placed from 5 to100 meters (16 to 330 ft) apart. The IR5000 measures gases active within the IR spectrum, such as hydrocarbons, and the corresponding output is expressed in equivalent parts-per-million (ppm) meters, and lower-explosive-level (LEL) meters, simultaneously. The IR5000 complements point gas detection as a component in a total system solution. It is ideal where a single monitor can cover a line of several potential leak sources. It also supports perimeter monitoring, which ensures greater coverage over wider areas than point detection. Other applications include monitoring tasks that are environmentally unfriendly to point gas detection --such as poisons, water spray, and extreme temperatures. When the IR5000 is integrated with the MC600 Multi-Channel Controller it offers exceptional versatility. Each controller can monitor IR5000 open path IR detectors as well as 20 different fixed point combustible and toxic gas detectors. It features dual RS-485 serial communications and MODBUS compatibility that allow up to 247 controllers to be networked for large-scale systems. The MC600 MultiChannel Controller features six user configurable relays and up to three zones with selectable zoning and independent voting are available. Its modular design featuring plug-in signal cards along with removable terminal blocks simplifies installation wiring and testing. Individual large LCD channel displays, LED indicators and a keypad allows local status checks and system updates. Links of interest IR5000 Open Path Hydrocarbon Gas Detector MC600 Multi-Channel Controller